AI Scripts - issues and questions...

I know the game, having played IDW (EE and original), BG, BG2 and now playing BG2-EE.

I know, that AI scripts and settings depend on the play style. So this is what I want:

I want, that every character defends himself, when attacked in melee. This includes Spellcasters. I also want, that the 'Guard' setting works (the shield in the UI), with both ranged weapons and in melee.

But this is it!

I do not need 'automatic spell casting', I do this during battle myself - its micromanagement, but I like it this way.

So - which script do I use? I tried 'Passive' (AI active), but somehow I have always troubles that a melee fighter, after given a command to attack an enemy NPC, stands around and does nothing after he kills this enemy. I have 'Pause on lost target' active, but if the melee fighter is in the thick of action and is attacked, should he not defend himself, after finishing my command? This is constant trouble, I send Minsc to attack on of a group, he kills this one NPC, and then stands and gets beaten, without command he seems to 'sleep' most of the time instead of defending himself and attacking on of his attackers.

The new 'Intelligent AI' is nice, but unusable, because it fires spells, even when the character is just joining in Waukeens Promenade. This is a wasted Stoneskin! So auto casting is a no for me.

If I deactivate the AI, or set the characters with no script, I have to look at everybody constantly because even the mightiest fighter stands around like an idiot while getting beaten.

Using the 'Guard Mode' (the shield, only fighters seem to have this) is usually a good option, but it has one massive problem: If the character does not reach the target field, where you let him stand and guard, he is completely dead, path finding seems to deactivate everything and he just stands without defending himself.

So - I hope I could make clear, what I want. Minimal automatic, no automatic casting or range attack and certainly no rushing into battle. I am tired of switching off the AI before sending Jan to look (invisible) around. With my settings now (all 'Passive', AI on) this does not happen, he does not attack, but also does not defend himself in a fight, if he is attacked in melee. And they all do not change to a melee weapon in this case.

What I really want: Do commands, and if no command is active or the target is dead, please at least defend yourself in melee, and if possible change to a melee weapon for this. In guard mode attack all enemies inside the circle marked. (It is my impression, that in Guard Mode the characters try to run back to the center, before attacking the next enemy inside the circle, and if they cannot, they tend to hang, not always but often enough).

Any hints ? In BG2 (original) I sometimes had similar troubles, but not as many as now...

but somehow I have always troubles that a melee fighter, after given a command to attack an enemy NPC, stands around and does nothing after he kills this enemy.

You can avoid this by issuing the attack with multiple party members selected. The attack action initiated with multiple characters selected is different from the attack action initiated with a single character selected or through scripts, and will cause the characters to continuously seek new targets once their current one dies, until they are given a new order (or they run out of enemies), even if party AI is off.

but somehow I have always troubles that a melee fighter, after given a command to attack an enemy NPC, stands around and does nothing after he kills this enemy.

You can avoid this by issuing the attack with multiple party members selected. The attack action initiated with multiple characters selected is different from the attack action initiated with a single character selected or through scripts, and will cause the characters to continuously seek new targets once their current one dies, until they are given a new order (or they run out of enemies), even if party AI is off.

Thank you, will try this. The 'Guard Mode' (Shield in the UI) works a bit better, if one takes care that the center of the guarded area is rather near, and the area should be as small as possible. In this case this works well. It works even better for archers.I think the 'Passive' AI is for guys like me, who want to control everything. Weak enemies, especially when single or separated I always mark with an attack command for the entire party, but one has to check if the correct weapons are active, or a Wizard will rush into battle with his staff.